July 3rd

“The snares of death encompassed me;
   the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
   I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
   “O LORD, I pray, save my life!” Psalm 116:3-4

it isn’t as dramatic
as it is in movies—
just the thread of life
unraveling like a sweater
picked at by a bored child
when they think no one
is paying any attention.
and those pangs?
not like being wrapped
in dungeon’s chains,
but that vise which
slowly squeezes hope
out of us as we sit across
from the doctor.
and yet,
with that breath that was
lying there in the bottom
of our empty souls,
we can offer our
scattered, stumbling,
out-of-the-depths-honest
words which you gather up
and in response, offer grace
breaking in as swift as light
on creation’s very first morning.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 2nd

"You will not fear the terror of the night,
   or the arrow that flies by day,
or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
   or the destruction that wastes at noonday.” Psalm 91:5-6

though the shadows of fear
seek to wrap around us
and the narcissist’s breath
longs to suck our souls,
we will not flinch—
for somewhere, there
in the pause between
the tick-tocks of time,
is that breath of God
gently singing out names.
when the rumor mongers
come sidling up next
to our peace like serpents
looking for warmth on cold nights,
we will not flinch—
for grace comes into our hearts,
setting up compassion’s camp,
making s’mores out of hope
and pieces of left-over bread.
though every moan of the wind
and creak in the middle hours
pull us out of our already
restless efforts to sleep,
we will not flinch—
for you gently spread
your wings of love over us
to keep us safe,
in every moment.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 1st

“To you, O LORD, I call;
    my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
    I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.” Psalm 28:1

we call,
and wonder if it sounds
like that silent breath
a leaf utters as it falls
gently to the ground.
we call,
because sometimes the
silent responses from others
feels like we are falling
into that sort of void
from which there is no return.
we call,
because you are like
that boulder sitting in the sun
which warms us as
the chill of forgetful friends
slowly seeps into us.
so now,
as the pit begins
to sing its siren call
of our names, hoping
to draw us closer to
the edge,
lean in just a bit and
whisper of your love,
which is all we need to hear.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 30th

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
   for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
   until the destroying storms pass by.” Psalm 57:1

it is when the wind begins
to shake the branches,
it is when the thunder starts
its oh-so-low bass thrumming,
it is when our hearts want
to crawl into our souls’ closet,
you open your wings,
gathering us like nervous nellie chicks,
or a person wrapping a thunder
blanket around their furry best friend,
or a teacher whispering grace
to his frightened friends caught
in a sudden storm on a lake.
and so,
even when we wonder
if you are as close
to us as everyone says—
and maybe especially then—
we can lean into you
like a kitten into its mother,
knowing, trusting, finding
that you have got us.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 29th

"As he turned away to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all these signs were fulfilled that day.” 1 Samuel 10:9

we need to stop
hoping for lightning
or a word in a homily
or even a love letter
sealed with red wax.
sometimes it is just
a breath as soft as
a mother leaning over
a new born in a stable,
or bread handed to us
from perfect strangers,
and then,
something we have clung
to so tight slips away
like a shadow at night,
and a new heart—
not hollow
but filled with hope,
not shallow
but deep in compassion,
not perfect
but open to possibility,
not proud,
but beating with humility,
and we know we can go
to let it break for others.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 28th

“Let them praise his name
   with dancing,
making melody to him
   with tambourine and
   lyre.” Psalm 149:3

for clouds scudding across
blue skies like tumbleweeds,
for puppies that seem
to find everything possible
to knock over in their joy
of kids coming home,
for goslings parading
behind their folks in
almost-perfect formation,
for grandpas who can
whistle a tune that rivals
the finest symphony player,
for pools with shallow ends
for the most nervous
little one (and their parents)
and a deep end for
the ones trying to impress
those with blasé attitudes,
we praise you,
God of joy which tastes
as sweet as dandelion wine.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 27th

"He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else." 1 Samuel 9:2

when we look
at the chiseled chin,
the piercing blue eyes,
the wind-swept hair
and think,
'that's the one!'
remind us to look
for the warts;
when we admire
those who stand
head and shoulders
above the rest,
point our eyes down
so we can see
the feet of
clay.

(c) Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman